Birmingham v Chelsea
Barclays Premier League
Venue: St Andrew's Date: Saturday, 26 December 2009 Kick-off: 1245 GMT
Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 Live, local radio, Final Score, live on ESPN and highlights on Match of the Day
Birmingham defenders Roger Johnson and Liam Ridgewell suffered knee and ankle injuries respectively in the draw at Everton but are hopeful of playing.
Blues could be unchanged for the seventh successive match if the pair recover in time.
Chelsea will be without injured trio Nicolas Anelka, Michael Essien and Deco for the Christmas programme.
Ashley Cole, Didier Drogba and Ricardo Carvalho are all one booking away from a ban.
Chelsea
Suspended: None Doubtful: None
Injured: Anelka (calf), Bosingwa (knee), Deco (unspecified), Essien (hamstring)
Birmingham
Suspended: None
Doubtful: R Johnson (knee), Ridgewell (ankle)
Injured: Murphy & Tainio (both knee), O'Connor (hip)
In-form Birmingham take on leaders Chelsea in their final home game of 2009, hoping to end the year with a major scalp at St Andrew's.
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I have sensed a buzz around the city for the last few weeks - we have earned the right to be where we are
Birmingham boss Alex McLeish
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City's five-match winning run may have ended with last week's draw at Everton, but the hosts will still fancy their chances of a first victory against Chelsea for 29 years.
Since thrashing Arsenal, Carlo Ancelotti's side have won only once in six league and cup games. They were fortunate to avoid defeat at West Ham on Sunday, with a controversial penalty helping them claim a point.
Ancelotti has this week defended John Terry after newspaper allegations that he knew of secret cash payments for a behind-the-scenes tour of the club's training ground.
The Chelsea boss insists he has confidence in his skipper, who he describes as a mixture of Italian legends Franco Baresi and Paolo Maldini. Chelsea certainly need Terry's leadership skills right now, with a testing trip to St Andrew's followed by a derby against in-form Fulham when they will be shorn of their three senior strikers.
Head-to-head
• Chelsea have won three of the last four Premier League meetings with Birmingham.
• Birmingham have not beaten Chelsea in their last 15 attempts in all competitions. Their last victory came back in March 1980 when they won 5-1 at St Andrew's in the old Division Two.
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606: DEBATE
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Birmingham
• Alex McLeish's men have won all seven league games in which they have scored first this season.
• Birmingham have kept seven clean sheets so far - Chelsea are the only top-flight side to register more shut-outs (nine).
• They are unbeaten in nine league games, winning six of those. City's last loss was 3-1 at Arsenal on 17 October.
Chelsea
• The Blues have conceded 13 of their 15 league goals this season from set-pieces.
• Chelsea are the only top-flight team to have scored in every game this season. They have scored in their last 23 league matches and their last 33 games in all competitions. Barcelona were the last team to stop Chelsea scoring, in a 0-0 draw at the Camp Nou in April.
• The Blues have won just one of six games in league and cup since the impressive win at Arsenal on 29 November.
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Birmingham
Bowyer: 6 goals (5 league); Larsson: 4 goals (4 league)
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Chelsea
Drogba: 18 goals (13 league); Lampard: 8 goals (6 league);
Anelka: 8 goals (5 league)
Referee: Peter Walton
Assistant referees: Bob Pollock & Peter Kirkup
Fourth official: Mike Dean
Birmingham (D1-1 v Everton, a): Hart; Carr, R Johnson, Dann, Ridgewell, Larsson, Bowyer, Ferguson, McFadden (Fahey 69), Jerome, Benitez (Vignal 82). Subs not used: Maik Taylor, Phillips, McSheffrey, D Johnson, Carsley.
Chelsea (D1-1 v West Ham, a): Cech; Ivanovic, Carvalho, Terry,
A Cole, Ballack, Lampard, Malouda (Mikel 46), J Cole (Zhirkov 75), Drogba, Kalou (Sturridge 46). Subs not used: Hilario, Ferreira, Alex, Belletti.
Chelsea scorer: Pizarro 79
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